Nanographene synthesis on metal film using pentacene, H2 gas and heated W mesh at low temperature

Abstract

Abstract Nanographene synthesis, called hot mesh deposition (HMD) using pentacene molecules, H2 gas and heated W mesh, was investigated using Cu and Ni films prepared on quartz substrates. In HMD, the pentacene and H2 molecules were decomposed by the heated W mesh placed between the pentacene source and the substrate. In the case of Cu film, the peaks due to nanographene such as graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) at 1340 and 1600 cm−1 were obtained in the high atomic hydrogen density region. On the other hand, in the Ni film such peaks were obtained in the low atomic hydrogen density region. This indicates that catalysis activity of the bonding reaction between 6,13-dihydropentacene (DHP) molecules on the Ni film was stronger than that on the Cu film. In addition, the polymerization of excess DHP molecules was achieved by carbon dissolving in the Ni film via Ni3C formation. The dehydrogenation of DHP was an important factor in HMD for the GNR synthesis at low temperature around 300 °C.